The Race
by mangaluver34
Summary: Somewhat of a sequal to my story, Discovery. During the Wammy's House project to find as many of Kira's slip-ups as posible, Matt and Mello have found the second Kira's identy. The problem is, so has Near. Rated T just to be safe. Spoiler-free so far .
1. Identity

AN: Okay, this is a story for all of you who have read my story, Discovery. I finally figured out how to work a new story into the world I created for Discovery. This takes place during the project the kids at Wammy's House are assigned to find all of Kira's slip-ups. It's still being told from Mello's POV, and…well…that's about it. Enjoy the story.

Hey, did you catch the latest episode of that Mello-centric anime? What? It doesn't exist? Then I guess I don't own Death Note…

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Oh. My. GOD.

Shoot me now.

"You're kidding, right? Misa Amane doesn't have the brains to tie her own shoe, let alone become another Kira," I laughed at my best friend, whose face didn't change from the expressionless mask it had been before. "Oh, wow, Matt. You're serious?"

"Mello, I don't think it's likely, either, but all the evidence points to her. We don't even have any physical proof and I'm ninety three percent sure that she is the second Kira. It might be improbable, but it's not impossible, I guess."

"What about that other seven percent of certainty?"

"That's just because we don't have physical proof. If we did, I'd be a hundred percent sure of her guilt."

"So, what do we do? The fact that we have no physical evidence means we can't go to Roger or the police about this." I paused for a second. "I guess that means we have to apprehend her ourselves." I felt better at the idea of being alone on this. I'm pretty anti-social, and work best when it's just Matt and me.

Matt smiled and looked at me. "Mello, did you know that Misa Amane keeps a diary?"

"No, I didn't. But that doesn't matter."

"Yes it does. Do you know where she keeps her diary?"

"Are you listening to me? I didn't even know the girl had a diary!!"

Matt's grin got bigger. "She keeps it in a document on her computer."

I rolled my eyes. Matt was an expert hacker, but he couldn't clone her hard drive without breaking into her house and taking her computer! Without at least ninety five percent certainty that she was the second Kira, we'd be arrested. Plus, what with her fame, she'd probably have someone with her. I pointed this out to Matt, who just kept smiling.

"Do you know how often Misa Amane gets a new laptop?" He asked.

"Will you cut it out with the Twenty Questions?? I don't know any of this, okay?"

"She gets a new computer every month. So, I think she'd have a hard time keeping documents organized."

"So?" Matt was my best friend and all, but he was driving me insane.

"I thought you'd get it by now."

"Obviously I don't, so can you just tell me already?"

"She backs up all her documents online!! She has an account and keeps it all there, so it can be downloaded onto every new computer she gets." He was beaming now.

Oh. He could hack into an online database as easily as a dog could beg for meat. Instinctively. It would be very easy to hack her username and password, and download all her documents from there. But I still had a problem with that.

"So what if we could read her diary? It's not like she'll write, 'Today, I killed twenty people and bought a new pair of shoes!' I don't think even she would admit to being the second Kira in her diary."

"Do you not remember the message on Sakura TV? She wants to meet Kira."

"So?"

"So, if suddenly, in her diary, she starts talking about a new friend, or even boyfriend, and we notice even the slightest change in the second Kira's behavior, we know that person in her diary is Kira. Then, we can turn them in."

"Well, that could work in theory, but…"

"But what? It's foolproof!"

"The first Kira is very smart. About our level, if not higher. He'll make sure Misa doesn't mess up like that. In fact, I'd be surprised if he doesn't destroy her diary as soon as they meet."

Matt's face fell. He looked to the ground. "Yeah, I guess you're right…" His voice got smaller with every word. It reminded me of when we'd met, back a few years ago when he'd broken into Wammy's House. He was just as timid then.

I hesitated. I didn't like seeing Matt like that. I punched him on the shoulder and said, "It's the best shot we've got right now. Why not? Besides, what if he doesn't erase her diary? That is not only a slip-up for our project; it could lead to Kira's arrest! And we'd be the ones to discover his identity, not Near. Oh, yes, I can see it all now…"

Matt's face brightened. He wasn't usually the one coming up with the plans.

We headed for our room, our destination being Matt's untraceable laptop. With each step, my optimism grew. This plan would work, I was sure of it.

As I entered, I saw Matt's face was a ghostly white.

"What is it?" I asked urgently. He didn't speak, he just handed me a small piece of notepaper. It read:

"So sorry I had to borrow your computer. I must capture the second Kira." It was printed in perfect handwriting, and signed with our roommate's signature, "NR."

I crumpled up the piece of paper and growled. So, now we had to race Near, too, huh? Well, so be it. I liked a competition better, anyway.

Finally, Matt found his voice. "He…took my computer," He whispered.

I was used to his overreactions when it came to electronics. "Don't worry, Matt. We'll get your computer back, and we'll catch that little brat that's using it, too. We'll beat him. Just you see. We'll win this race."

I hoped.

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AN: Chapter 2 should be up shortly. Don't forget to vote on my poll. "New Shinigami" won't be updated until I get 10 votes on it. Okay! That's about it. I'm trying to write as many stories as possible in one day so I have something to work on tomorrow.

Review this story!! Please! I'll even take a flame. Just review it somehow!!


	2. Fight

AN: Sorry this took so long. I've got another fic that is massively popular so I have to keep up with the demand, you know?

For some reason, not many people are reading this. Thank you to those of you that do.

So, I was relaxing the other day, you know, with my popcorn and ice cold drink and comfy couch and my favorite Mello-centric anime…Huh? That was a dream? Oh. I guess I don't own Death Note…sigh…that sucks…

Anyway, here:

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I finally brought Matt back to Earth enough to go try to find Near. He hid from us well. We searched the orphanage for half an hour until I had to stop and try to use logic to determine his location.

"Matt?"

"Hmm?"

"You'd know this better than I would. What room in here has the best Wi-Fi reception?"

"Umm…I'd say the tech lab. But if it were me trying to do what Near's doing, I'd probably be in a more remote place…"

"Teach lab's worth a shot. Even though we've checked there."

"Can't hurt to check again," Matt said, trying to lift my spirits.

"Yeah. You're right," His encouragement hadn't helped me at all, but I didn't want him to know that. I thought I had finally beaten Near to the answer…

We went to the lab and, lo and behold, we found him there. (I swear he wasn't there before.)

"Oh. Hello. What brings you here? I don't know if you got my note, but I did borrow your laptop. It's to find the second Kira, you see." Near said in his bleak, annoying monotone.

"Yeah. We need it back. We get dibs, since it is our computer, after all. We need it for…the project." I didn't want to tell him that we'd found the second Kira yet. I wanted at least some kind of surprise.

"Oh. Sure. Are you trying to find the second Kira as well?" He said kindly.

_Damn, _I thought, _There goes my surprise._

"Yeah. Whatever. Just give us the computer," I snapped.

"Of course." He handed us the machine. I snatched it harshly and left without a "Thank you."

We ran back to our room. "Hack it," I ordered Matt. He immediately went to work.

I needed to think of a way to make Near fall behind so we could get ahead of him in our little race. So, without breaking the stride of my pacing across the floor, I did what I always do when I'm stressed. I opened up a fresh, new, chocolate bar and began gnawing away.

After a few uneventful minutes, Matt called from the bed, "Got it. Reading the diary now." I nodded to show that I'd heard.

A few more minutes passed. Matt spoke up again. "Nothing major. She's just writing like any other teenage girl. 'Dear diary, today I went shopping!' 'Today I had another modeling gig! The boss was so pushy.' 'Today I went to a football game in Tokyo!' 'Today, my friend and I exchanged notebooks in Au Yama!' She ends everything with a little heart. It's kinda annoying, really."

I swore loudly. "No leads! Dammit! What should we do?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. I really don't know. Maybe wait and see for more diary updates…?"

"That's our best bet at this point. I only wish there was something more…"

"Well, there isn't, and don't place your bets on there ever being more. That's always a big mistake."

"Yeah, I know, Matt. This isn't my first day at Wammy's." I had finished my chocolate bar, and was getting faster and more frantic in my pacing. I opened up a new candy bar. Matt, clearly getting anxious as well, pulled out a pack of cigarettes.

"Since when do you smoke?"

He shrugged. "For a while. It's a nervous habit." He lit up and blew. I coughed.

"That's disgusting! Especially you should know how bad that is for you!"

"I know. I told you, it's a habit."

"Well, get a new habit. One that doesn't affect your lungs like that. Gross." I ended with a mutter.

"I heard that!"

"What? It _is_ gross! Am I supposed to hide that?"

"Well, you could just keep it to yourself!"

"No! I say what I want, when I want!"

"Yeah, I know that from experience."

"You're still mad about me catching you when you snuck in? I thought you were over that!"

"I was. But now, I don't really think I am."

"Oh, wow, Matt. Real mature. Just like your video games."

"Are you dissing my video games? That's just low. I don't see me dissing your chocolate!"

"That's because chocolate is a perfectly normal thing to eat!"

"Not in the excess that you do!"

"Shut up, goggle-eyes."

"Why don't you make me? I'm not the spoiled weakling you fought a few years ago."

"You sure look like it."

"You little…! I DIED to come here, and this is what I get?"

When we were about thisclose to ripping each other's heads off, our fellow Wammy's House student appeared at the door.

"Shut up, you two! I can't work on my still-life!" Linda called.

"Oh, and we care so much." I snapped sarcastically. Linda huffed and left the room.

While her initial appearance seemed pointless, it did bring Matt and me down to Earth and out of our fight. We needed to concentrate on what was important.

"So, we're waiting for a new update…?" Matt asked hesitantly.

Suddenly, It dawned on me. Why hadn't I thought of it before?

"Yes. We are waiting for an update, as well as putting a plan to slow Near down into place." I smiled. "We're gonna beat him this time."

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AN: I don't approve of smoking. I'm not trying to encourage it; I'm just trying to show Matt's personality through.

I'll try to update this quicker. The next chapter should be up as soon as I think of Mello's plan. (No, I haven't thought of it yet. I will, though.)


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